Hi
this year I'll bring with me my laptop. Can someone suggest the best wireless connection. I need it for one month only.
I'll be at barcares there is any particular problem with the connection in than area?
regards
Gianni

There has been much said on this subject on the site.... my understanding of the outcome is.... don't bother! dongle pay as you go options are expensive... you'd be better off searching free wifi spots in the area... or as a last resort visit the local McDonnalds (which offer free internet access)

I’d like to ressurrect this topic because although it crops up occasionally and perhaps much has been said on the subject -I still can’t find an answer.

Assumption 1
I’m on holiday – I don’t live in France all the time
Assumption 2
I would like to use wireless internet in the appartment, (not in McDonalds) or in a car park!
Assumption 3
I know I will have to pay money for a dongle – but I don’t want to sign up with a 12 or 24 month contract so that I’m paying when I’m not in France

How do you do it? Who offers a pay as you go option for visitors?

On the internet Bouygues Telecom seems to offer a cle 3G+ sans engagement but it can only be topped up with a French credit card. Why's that?

All the major players (Orange, SFR, Bouygues) offer 3G dongles and as there is virtually no competition in France, they are all at roughly the same price.
Expect to pay around €39 for a dongle and then around €30 Euros for a GB of data.

More important than the price, is the coverage offered. It is pointless buying a 3G dongle from any provider if they have no service in the vicinity of your appartment. If you have a 3G phone you can check the coverage with that, otherwise you will have to enquire locally.

You might also check out if you have any friendly neighbours with connections you can piggy-back onto.

There are also more wi-fi hotspots than you think. I still own a house in England and when I am there I use a high gain antenna and have access to 6 different hotspots plus umpteen unsecured networks.

Lots of UK internet providers ( BT in particular) have reciprocal deals with european providers so depending on who you are with you may get free access.

I go to Barcares quite regularly so if you pm me with the location of your appartment I will see what there is in the vicinity.

I understand that France Telecom/Orange do a Internet "Découverte" package that is 21€ a month and can be cancelled/suspended at any time. You have to already have a phone line installed and you can 'hire' the livebox for 3€ a month extra. We suspend our telephone line too when we are not there, which saves a few pennies. It's easy to do over the internet.

In May we are going to try to get this package Decouverte installed so on the basis that nothing is ever simple, watch this space!

tubs wrote:I understand that France Telecom/Orange do a Internet "Découverte" package that is 21€ a month and can be cancelled/suspended at any time. You have to already have a phone line installed and you can 'hire' the livebox for 3€ a month extra. We suspend our telephone line too when we are not there, which saves a few pennies. It's easy to do over the internet.

In May we are going to try to get this package Decouverte installed so on the basis that nothing is ever simple, watch this space!

I have this package as I can only get a 2MB connection at my house and so I am not paying for speed that I cannot get. I have never bothered to suspend but presumably you have to keep paying for the livebox, I can't imagine they would expect you to take it back and collect it again when you reactivate the service.

The hole question of internet access in holiday appartments seems really badly addressed. A decent broadband connection is more than adequate for a half a dozen appartments but it takes someone to organise it.

Making progress means I am starting to understand options – but I am not online wifi yet!.

Looks like there are loads of schemes, some you pay for some for free but you have to be near the relevant “Hot Spot” And the critical thing for me is that the “Hot Spot” works for me inside our home.

For example I may be already eligible through being a BT broadband customer in the UK through the “Fon” system but their nearest hot spot in Amelie is 500m or more away so how do you know if you can get a signal?

The Orange wifi pass looks great , but my little netbook doesn’t show up any Orange connections so I don’t think any of their hotspots are near enough.

Allan has kindly told me about a USB booster antenna which may help me pick up more connections.

The mostly likely scenarios are :

1. SFR public for which I can pick up a signal and get connected but I need a username and password to use it – Am off to Perpignan to find SFR shop and see what they say.

2. The nearby bar has free wifi, but I don’t seem to be able to see their signal, perhaps with the antenna I might be able to and offer them some euros for use each holiday.

3. Although the 3G dongle may be expensive - if I works I will give it a go if it is cheaper than landline and livebox.

Well, after touring the three main operators in Perpignan I am wiser but nowhere nearer to getting online with wireless internet.

Bouygues Telecom. The most polite and informative place but unfortunately confessed that although 3G might work in Amelie les Bains their signal was very feeble there and so would not try and sell me it as I would probably be disappointed.

SFR. Also quite patient and pleasant , but they do not offer a service in Amelie, or like Bouygues signal too weak. Regarding wifi access they confirmed the SFR Public network is for their own clients so suggested I make friends with an SFR client and ask them for their username and password. Anyone out there want to be my friend??

Orange. Rather brusque, but assured me Orange 3G would work in Amelie. The USB dongle would cost about 70 euros then I think it is 8 euros a month to have it active on a pay as you go basis. But I got a little bit lost here on how you top it up although the implication was you buy something at supermarkets or tabacs.

That’s all I’ve found out at the moment. Orange 3G may work for me but just nervous about spending 70 euros on something that may or may not work.

You will have to treat me as a wireless virgin! I am trying to work this stuff out.

I appear to have a BT FON account and on my wired internet I can confirm that.

The new little toy netbook is looking for connections and comes up with various Livebox and Neuf numbers and presume these are private as I can't connect through them.

The website http://maps.fon.com says there is a FON hotspot about 500 metres away but I presume because the netbook doesnt see a FON connection does that mean I am too far away? or that it will be called something else?.

I am tempted to go for a walk past the location on the map and see if I can get something to work! If it does it will confirm the system works but that our house is too far away.

I went for a walk to near the hotspot on the map. There are no connections with FON in the name.

I tried the SFR WiFI PUBLIC with my FON username etc but that didn't work. I was hoping it would since SFR is one of the partners in the BT FON partnership. My insitnct feels that this should be the connection.

But I have made no progress. Currently working my way through BT and FON websites for help email address!!!

Tomorrow I am going to the local bar who claim to have wifi, then if I can get connected, see if I can do same with their connection from the house, it's only 50 metres line of sight. If it does I'll offer 10euros per holiday to use it, perhaps that will work!
Ian

Hi Allan I am not a BT internet subscriber, I have only the BT land line and AOL internet connection but I know that even if you are not a bt internet subscriber you can buy BT Fon and use it.
What about the one you are using in france?
thanks

gianni wrote:Hi Allan I am not a BT internet subscriber, I have only the BT land line and AOL internet connection but I know that even if you are not a bt internet subscriber you can buy BT Fon and use it.
What about the one you are using in france?
thanks